Incidents of Christian-run schools penalising Hindu students for participating in Hindu rituals are a recurring and deeply troubling issue. These acts, which often involve disciplinary action or public humiliation, raise serious questions about religious freedom, cultural tolerance, and the rights of minority students in educational institutions. While schools are meant to be a place of learning and inclusion, these events highlight a pattern of discrimination that not only violates the spirit of a pluralistic society but also marginalises students for expressing their faith and cultural identity.
This report documents 20 incidents that occurred between 2015 and 2025 where Christian missionary schools have taken action against Hindu students for celebrating their religious and cultural traditions. These incidents include various forms of punishment and opposition to Hindu rituals.
Lucknow missionary school cuts students’ Rakhis
On August 11, 2025, at St. Fidelis College in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, an announcement was made during a prayer meeting that all students’ rakhis were to be cut. Following this, school staff used scissors to cut the rakhis from the wrists of students in their classrooms.
Hapur Catholic school forces students to remove Rakhis
In an incident on September 13, 2023, at St. Anthony’s Senior Secondary School in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu students were forced by teachers to remove their tilaks and rakhis. The rakhis were subsequently thrown into a dustbin by the school staff.
Bareilly Convent school removes rakhis from students
On August 28, 2023, at Holy Family Convent School in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, the school staff prevented students from celebrating Raksha Bandhan and made them remove the rakhis tied on their wrists.
Karnataka private school asks students to remove Rakhis
The management of Loyola School in Karwar, Karnataka, instructed approximately 200 students to remove their rakhis during Raksha Bandhan on August 18, 2022. The incident caused outrage among the students’ parents.
Students punished for Rakhi and Mehendi in Fatehpur
On September 2, 2015, at St. Mary’s Convent School in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, several Hindu girl students were disciplined for wearing rakhi and mehendi. As punishment, they were forced to stand in the sun. The school administration cut the rakhis from their hands, and their mehendi was forcefully scrubbed off with a stone.
Chhattisgarh principal arrested for punishing Hindu student
On July 31, 2025, Ila Evan Colvin, the principal of Mother Teresa English Medium School in Bagdumar village, in Durg, Chhattisgarh, was arrested after a complaint was filed by Praveen Yadav, the father of a 3.5-year-old Hindu student. The complaint alleged that on July 30, 2025, the principal beat his daughter and taped her mouth shut as punishment for greeting someone with “Radhe Radhe” during a morning inspection.
Don Bosco School in Assam forcibly removes tilak from Hindu student
On June 24, 2025, a Hindu kindergarten student at Don Bosco School in Sirajuli, Assam, was forcibly made to remove a tilak from her forehead by a teacher named Rini Rose. The child was reportedly threatened with physical punishment if she wore a tilak to school again.
Missionary school in Lucknow fails students for wearing sacred threads and tilak
On April 15, 2025, St. Dominic Savio College in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, reportedly failed over 60 students from classes 4 to 11 for wearing a tilak and kalawa (sacred thread) to school. A parent, Preeti Rai, alleged that the principal threatened to “make her son’s life hell” when she questioned the move. Following public pressure, the school eventually agreed to hold re-examinations for the affected students.
Convent school harasses Hindu student for greeting with ‘Jai Shri Ram’
On January 16, 2025, a 10th-grade Hindu student, Harsh Pandey, at St. Thomas Senior Secondary School in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, was stopped from writing his exams. His alleged offence was greeting someone with “Jai Shri Ram” during a school break. The school’s principal issued an apology after public outrage over the incident.
Missionary school in Madhya Pradesh accused of preventing students from wearing ’tilak’ and ‘kalawa’
On December 5, 2024, a sixth-grade Hindu girl student at St. Michael’s School in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, was sent home for wearing a tilak and kalawa. When her parents went to the school to inquire about the incident, they were allegedly humiliated by the principal and forced to leave the premises.
Students beaten for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’
At Mother Mary Higher Secondary School in Nagda, Madhya Pradesh, ten students were reportedly beaten with sticks by school Director Maria and teacher Vishwajeet Jaiswal. The students were locked in a room and punished for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ along with ‘Vande Mataram’, with one teacher reportedly accusing them of “spreading terrorism” through the chants.
Bhilwara school punishes student for wearing ’tilak’
On July 15, 2023, a Hindu student at St. Anselm School in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, was allegedly physically punished by school staff for wearing a ’tilak’ on his forehead. The incident sparked public outrage and highlighted tensions over religious symbols in schools.
Hindu girl commits suicide after harassment over ‘bindi’
On July 10, 2023, a tenth-grade student, Usha Kumari, from St. Xavier’s School in Jharkhand, died by suicide. She had reportedly been subjected to public humiliation, including being slapped twice and expelled from school, for wearing a ‘bindi’ on her forehead. The harassment and public shaming, according to reports, led to her extreme step.
Missionary school management removes tilak and kalawa
On December 21, 2022, at St. Thomas School in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu student was reportedly forced to remove a ’tilak’ from his forehead and a sacred thread (‘kalawa’) from his wrist. The school management was accused of forcibly removing these religious symbols.
Andhra Christian high school harasses students over tilak and bindi
At Mount Carmel High School in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, the school administration and teachers have reportedly been harassing Hindu students for applying ’tilak’ or ‘bindi’ and for girls wearing bangles. The school management allegedly considers these traditional practices an offence and is accused of forcing non-Christian students to read the Bible and participate in Christian prayers.
St. Joseph School suspends students for wearing vibhuti
In Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, two Hindu boys were suspended from St. Joseph School for having vibhuti (sandalwood paste) on their foreheads. The school authorities took disciplinary action against the students for wearing the traditional religious mark.
Christian school punishes students for bursting firecrackers on Deepawali
On October 23, 2017, a Christian Minority Matriculation School in Keezhapudur, Tamil Nadu, punished some Hindu students for bursting firecrackers during the festival of Deepawali.
Bengaluru school expels LKG boy for ponytail
In Bengaluru, Karnataka, a junior kindergarten student was expelled from St. Vincent Pallotti School for having a shikha, or ponytail, a traditional Hindu practice. The school management cited a violation of their rules as the reason for expulsion.
Tamil Nadu school fines student for mehendi
On October 10, 2015, a Christian school in Chennai, Doveton Girl’s & Boys’ Hr. Sec. School, imposed a fine of Rs 500 on a second-grade student for having traces of mehendi on his palms.
Girl punished for wearing tilak on her birthday
In Secunderabad, Telangana, an 11-year-old Hindu girl was made to stand for two hours outside the principal’s room at St. Ann School as punishment for wearing a tilak on her birthday. The incident occurred on February 28, 2015.
The incidents compiled in this report reveal a troubling pattern of Christian-run schools punishing Hindu students for expressing their religious and cultural identity. From forcibly removing sacred threads and tilaks to cutting off rakhis and fining students for mehendi, these actions demonstrate a systematic disregard for Hindu traditions. The reported cases extend beyond simple dress code violations to include public humiliation, physical punishment, and even academic failure for students who use traditional Hindu greetings or participate in festivals. This pattern suggests a deeper issue of religious and cultural intolerance, where students are made to feel ashamed of their heritage. Such actions not only violate the principles of religious freedom but also create an environment of marginalisation, undermining the very pluralistic values that Bharat stands for.
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